Radial truck.



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(Application filed Mar. 5, 1901.!

.2 Sheets-Shoat I.

{No Model.)

@ZF wk PETERS co. FHOTQ-UTHQ. WASHING UNITED. STATES PATENT GFFICE.

JOI-IN PLAYER, OF DUNKIRK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROOKS LOCO- OFSAME PLACE.

RADIAL TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,727, dated May '7,1901.

Application filed March 5, 1901. Serial No. 49,987. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PLAYER, of Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauquaand State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Radial Trucks, of which improvement the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to so-called radial trucks for locomotive-enginesand other railroad rolling-stock in which lateral motion or radialmovement of a bearing-axle of the vehicle relatively to the main framethereof is provided for to facilitate and reduce strains in the passageof the vehicle into, through, and from curved portions of the track.

The object of my invention is to provide efiiective and desirable meanswhereby an increased range of lateral movementin the axle may bepermitted, the construction of the axle-box guides and their connectionto the main frame simplified and cheapened, and improved facilitiesprovided for transmitting theweight carried by the springs to the radialaxle and equalizing it with that borne by the adjacent driving-axle. Theimprovement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of aradial trailingwheel truck for locomotive-engines, illustrating anembodiment of my invention, the trailing wheel nearer the observer beingshown in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a plan or top view of the same; Fig. 3, avertical transverse section at the line a Ct of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 afront view in elevation with the engine frame and springs in transversesection.

My invention is herein shown as applied in a trailing truck employed tosupport the rear portions of the main-frame bars 1 of alocomotive-engine and the weight which is carried thereon. The trailingwheels 2 are secured in the usual manner upon the outer ends of thetruck-axle 3, the journals 4 of which rotate in j onrnal-bearings 5, setin axleboxes 6, each of which is fitted with the capacity of relativelateral as well as vertical movement between a pair of pedestals 7. Thefront and rear sides of the axle-boxes 6 are curved concentrically uponradii struck from a center located at a proper distance forward of thetruck-axle in the longitudinal central plane of the engine, and theopposite axleboXes are connected by an upper horizontal plate 8 andvertical front and rear plates 9, 5 which are preferably, as shown, castintegral with the axle-boxes. The continuous structu re thus formed maydescriptively be termed the axle-box frame. The inner faces of thepedestals 7 are curved correspondingly with the axle-boxes, and themembers of each pair of pedestals are connected at their lower ends bypedestal tie -bolts 10, which pass through thimbles or spacing-pieces11, interposed between the pedestals, and are provided with nuts 12, bywhich they are drawn to the proper bearing. Each of the pedestals formsthe outer end portion of an axle-box guide, which is composed of twopedestals on opposite sides of the engine and an inter- 7o mediateconnecting-plate 13, cast integral therewith, and each pedestal isprovided at its top with an upwardly-extending lug or flange 14, whichabutsagainst the inner side of the adjacentmain-frame bar 1 and issecured thereto by bolts or rivets 15. This construction obviates thenecessity of forging separate pedestals or horn-plates upon themain-frame bars, thereby effecting a material structural simplificationand economy and, moreover, permitting increase of lateral or radialmovement, as desired, by simply reducing the length of the axle-boxguides.

In order to control the lateral movements of the axle-box frame inpassing curves and return it to and maintain it in its normal centralposition on tangents, a centering-spring 16 is provided, said springbeing illustrated as inclosed in a spring-box 17, fixed to the lowersides of the vertical plates 9 of the axlebox frame, with its endsabutting against followers 18, which in turn abut against shoulders 011the ends of the spring-box. Two thrust-rods 19, the outer ends of whichare fixed to members connected with the main- 5 frame bars 1, abut attheir inner ends against the followers 18, the distance between theinner ends of the followers being equal to the maximum amount oftraverse of the axle-box frame and axle on either side of the centralplane of the engine. In the instance shown the thrust-rods 19 areconnected at their outer ends to the thimbles ll of the followertiebolts 10 by nuts 20, by the adjustment of which the distance betweenthe inner ends of the thrust-rods may be increased or diminished, asdesired, so as'to thereby increase or diminish, respectively, the degreeof lateral traverse permitted to the axle-box frame. Under the aboveconstruction it will be seen that the centering-spring will becompressed by lateral movement of the axle-box frame in either directionand will return the same to normal central position as the compressionis released by the opposite movement of the axle-box frame, therebypreventing jars or shocks and reducing liability to strain in themovements of said frame,

The specificlocation of the centering-spring relati vely to the axle-boxframe is not an essential of my invention, and it may, if preferred, belocated on the top or on the sides of the axle-box frame,-as may befound most convenient in different forms of construction of the radialtruck. It will also be obvious that the relative positions of thecentering-spring and thrust-rods may be changed without departure fromthe spirit of my invention-that is to say, centering-springs may beattached to the pedestals or other parts which are fixed to the framemembers and thrust-rods acting thereon attached to the axle-box frame.

The weight carried upon the truck-axle 3 is in the instance showntransmitted thereto through two semi-elliptical springs 21, the rearends of which are coupled by springhangers 22 to the main-frame bars 1and the forward ends of which are coupled by springhangers 23 toequalizers 24:. The equalizers 24 are pivoted by bolts 25 to themain-frame bars and are coupled at their forward ends to the springs ofthe rear pair of driving-wheels in the ordinary or any preferred manner.The'spring-bands 26 rest upon a carrying-bar 27, the ends of which may,as shown, he turned upwardly, and form thrust-blocks bearing againstchafing-plates or rubbing-castings 28, fixed to the inner sides of themain-frame bars 1 and interposed between the same and the spring-bands26. The under side of the carrying-bar is a true surface, which restsupon the top of the axle-box frame, to which the weight carried by itand by the truck axle and wheels is transmitted by the springs in suchmanner as to permit its lateral movements to be effected withoutinterference with the position or action of the springs.

The carrying-springs may, if preferred, be underhung or located belowthe axle-box frame instead of above it, as shown, and for use inconnection with a leading truckasingle transverse spring or system ofcoiled springs may be employed instead of the two longitudinal springsshown. When so placed, the spring is connected centrally with anequalizer and rests at its ends upon a carrying-bar, such as abovedescribed, or, equivalently, upon two short sections thereof, each ofwhich bears, in the manner described, upon the top of the axle-boxframe.

My improvement has been applied in practice in the construction of anumber of locomotive-engines and has in regular service been found tosuccessfully attain the objects for which it was designed. Theemployment. of trailing wheels for the support of wide and deepfire-boxes has in recent practice been very generally approved andadopted by railroad managers, and my invention enables their applicationto be desirably effected, by

reason of its capability, generally, of promoting the safe and easypassage of the engine through curves and also of the fact that itsspring arrangement is one which will not in terfere with the slopingash-pans which are used with wide fire-boxes. The construction is freefrom complication or undue expense and is particularly suited to therequirements of American practice.

I claim my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In aradial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-boxguides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse betweensaid guides, an axle journaled therein, a centering-spring supported onthe axle-box frame, followers abutting against the opposite ends of saidspring, thrust-rods, each abutting at its inner end against one of thefollowers and connected, at its outer end, to the axle-box guides, andmeans for varying and adjusting the distance between the inner ends ofthe thrust-rods.

2. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides having end pedestals secured thereto, an axleboX framefitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein,pedestal tie members connecting the two pedestals on each side of theframe,a centering-spring supported on the axle-box frame, followersabutting against the opposite ends of said spring, thrust-rods, eachabutting, at its inner end, against one of the followers, and nutsengaging screw-threads on the thrust-rods and connecting the same adjustably to the pedestal tie members.

3. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides, each having an integral end pedestal and anupwardly-extending lug or flange abutting against and secured to theadjacent mainframe member, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse betweenthe pedestals of said guides, and an axle journaled in said axle-boxframe.

at. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traversebetween said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transversecarrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on theaxle-box frame, and a spring bearing upon the carrying bar andtransmitting weight to the truck-axle through said bar.

5. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traversebetween said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transversecarryingbar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on theaxle-box frame, a spring bearing upon the carrying-bar, and an equalizercoupled to the main frame and to said spring.

6. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traversebetween said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transversecarrying-bar, the

under surface of which rests and bears truly on the axle-box frame, andhaving end-thrust blocks bearing on the main-frame members, and a springbearing on the carrying-bar and transmitting weight to the truck-axlethrough said bar. 7

7. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame,.two transverseaxle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traversebetween said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transversecarrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on theaxle-box frame, and having end-thrust blocks bearing on the main-framemembers, and springs coupled at their ends to the mainframe members andbearing intermediately upon the carrying-bar.

8. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traversebetween said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transversecarrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly 0n theaxle-box frame and which is provided with end-thrust blocks,chafing-plates interposed between and' abutting against thethrust-blocks and the main-frame members, 'and a spring bearing on thecarrying-bar and transmitting weight to the truck-axle through said bar.

9. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverseaxle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traversebetween said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transversecarrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on theaxle-box frame, and having end-thrust blocks bearing on the main-framemembers, springs, bearing intermediately of their ends upon thecarrying-bar, equalizers pivoted to the main-frame members and coupledto the springs, and connections coupling the opposite ends of thesprings to the main-frame members.

' JOHN PLAYER. Witnesses:

J. SNoWDEN BELL, CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS.

